Y’all know that I love yogurt bowls. I love them especially when you add a swirl of peanut butter or almond butter or you could even do Erin’s new Macadamia butter. They are just my favorite food in the world especially when I don’t have much time to make something that takes more than 5 minutes of work. Yogurt bowls can be a way of putting love and art and care into one tiny bowl with very little work. 😀 That’s what happened today when I was really hungry, but I really didn’t feel like doing much more than yogurt and toppings. That is how this ‘Maple Crunch Chocolate Strawberry Yogurt Bowl’ came about; by necessity.

Disclaimer: I received the product from Crazy Richards, Try About Time, and Blissful Eats in exchange for developing the recipes in this post! All opinion on the products are 100% my own, and I only share products I personally love to eat. Creamy. That’s my favorite adjective to use for smoothies. That would have to describe each one of these smoothies that are part of this 2nd edition in the ‘Peanut Butter Smoothie Series’ with Crazy Richards, Blissful Eats, and Try About Time. I think I may have found my very favorite protein powder with Try About Time. They did send me it for free, but it has the absolute best texture in smoothies, and it also doesn’t taste overly sweet or artificial. . .

The first smoothie in this series …. would be one of my favorite desserts to have in the summer time. Have you ever bitten into delicious strawberries topped with cream with a slice of angel food cake? Well I didn’t put cake in this smoothie, but I’m humbled by how God’s glory and wonder can be seen in a little strawberry, the vast canyons of Utah, and the stars above. And when we see those things, that doesn’t even give us a millionth of a taste of the infinite glory of God!

Strawberries… It is a beautiful fruit. this year we probably ate the most strawberries we’ve ever eaten in the S. household. I’m not complaining about that at all; it’s been an amazing year for summer fruit.

Sundays are one of my favorite days of the week. I love every day of the week, but Sunday has grown to have a deeper place in my heart, by God’s powerful work in me, over the past 4-5 years. I think, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized what a GIFT it is to be able to go to God’s house and worship in a special way with His people. I used to take it for granted, I’m sad to admit, but I’m thankful that God is constantly changing and convicting our hearts. It’s so wonderful to not be alone as a Christian and share in the joys of salvation and glorifying God every Sunday, and the last thing you want to have to think about on Sunday morning is rustling up a ‘hurried, stressed’ breakfast. The more I can bless my family by being ready the night before so that the morning of Sunday is restful, peaceful, and preparing our hearts for worship, the better. 🙂

Psalm 118:24, ‘This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.’

Psalm 122:1-2, ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.’

I have undertaken in the last couple weeks, with the HUGE blessing of finding a great many bloggers who are always using their God given, creative juices to create recipes, to make a breakfast that will keep everybody well fed and focused on Sunday morning. I’m thankful that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. I’m also thankful that God gave me the ability to prepare physical food for my family, so that they can be well nourished for the deep nourishment of the soul and the praise of our glorious God on Sundays. …

Tis the day to ‘Think out Loud’ and share random thoughts, recipes, and everyday happenings with my readers!

Before I get into sharing my recipe for today, I wanted to tell all of you about a new opportunity to sign up for a monthly newsletter via Mail Chimp (Hint: It’s in the sidebar)! If you subscribe to Mail Chimp, you will get access to articles and excerpts on true beauty, body image, and freedom from eating disorders that you won’t find on the blog!

The flavor of a chocolate chip cookie in your morning bowl of granola? Yes please. I made this the other week, and after it was done baking, I proceeded to eat… um… several handfuls. 🙂

I thought I’d go a bit lighter today, and I decided to share the recipe with you all, and I hope it might satisfy your craving for chocolate chip cookies the next time you eat breakfast . . .

Thanks Amanda for the link-up today and for letting me think out loud by sharing a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola this morning! 🙂 I even get to use my nifty new Recipe Card plug-in. *Cue excitement.*

Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola

2015-08-19 23:06:44

Serves 16

A crunchy chocolatey cereal that goes well with milk, yogurt, or even in handfuls for a snack!

Mix all the ingredients well until it forms clumps and the cocoa powder coats all the oats.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes or until you can't resist snagging a clump.

Just don't burn your fingers.

By Emily Swanson

Beauty In Christ - The Book http://beautyinchristthebook.com/

What is your favorite type of granola? Do you like making your own?

Random thoughts for the day? We’re out on the river rafting today for the first time in my life. I’ve lived in Colorado my WHOLE life, and I have never rafted the river here, so there’s no day like today to do it!

The Life of the Writer

I live in the beautiful state of Colorado where 14ers are to give you all the sore legs you need, amazing skiing, plenty of other runners, glorious sunsets, majestic elk herds, and peaceful country roads with clear air.

Go Back in Time!

Go Back in Time!

I am a very ordinary girl. I’m 21, but if you met me, you wouldn’t believe me. I am passionate about girls finding true beauty in Christ. I love peanut butter, icecream, and salad. My hobbies are cooking, baking, sharing laughs and tears with others, and sharing the fullness of joy that Christ has put in me. I love reading other blogs, and I hope that this will be a place where you can find encouragement, recipes, smiles, and joy. Click here to read more about me...